Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Oakland, CA and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,733 in Oakland, CA, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

180

Cost of Living Index in Oakland, CA
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Oakland, CA Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Oakland, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,733

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Oakland, CA and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Oakland, CA and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,733 in Oakland, CA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX.

Oakland, CA $3,733
Austin, TX $2,698

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,782 in Oakland, CA versus $4,160 in Austin, TX.

Oakland, CA $5,782
Austin, TX $4,160

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,831 in Oakland, CA versus $5,622 in Austin, TX.

Oakland, CA $7,831
Austin, TX $5,622

Living in Oakland, CA is roughly 38% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Oakland, CA 176% above, Austin, TX 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.50 $24.50

$20.63 $20.63

18.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$84.6 $84.6

39.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 $11.79

$12.07 $12.07

-2.32%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$5.48 $5.48

1.28%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.80 $3.80

-5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.47 $2.47

-2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$8.05 $8.05

-2.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$8.88 $8.88

-7.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.11 $1.11

25.23%

White Bread (500g)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.72 $3.72

34.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.45 $8.45

$3.37 $3.37

150.74%

Eggs

$6.18 $6.18

$4.32 $4.32

43.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.97 $25.97

$13.13 $13.13

97.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.25 $18.25

$14.15 $14.15

28.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.57 $22.57

$16.33 $16.33

38.21%

Apples (1kg)

$7.94 $7.94

$4.55 $4.55

74.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.46 $1.46

62.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.32 $8.32

$4.71 $4.71

76.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$4.15 $4.15

58.55%

Potato (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.58 $2.58

99.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.35 $2.35

26.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.77 $1.77

44.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.14 $2.14

42.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$10.10 $10.10

17.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.90 $19.90

$15.19 $15.19

31.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.82 $2.82

-39.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.44 $3.44

8.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.54 $1.54

101.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 $85.7

$40.99 $40.99

109.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.80 $2.80

17.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.60 $1.60

51.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.06 $40.06

$34.34 $34.34

16.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.94 $0.94

63.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.9K $27.9K

$34.0K $34.0K

-17.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.32%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$192 $192

$223 $223

-13.89%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$64.7 $64.7

$58.9 $58.9

9.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 $66.4

$70.6 $70.6

-5.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.08 $39.08

$57.7 $57.7

-32.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.86 $12.86

$16.53 $16.53

-22.20%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 $15.71

$14.26 $14.26

10.17%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,701 $2,701

$1,511 $1,511

78.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.9K $36.9K

$20.9K $20.9K

76.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 $70.0

$51.3 $51.3

36.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.49 $48.49

$44.17 $44.17

9.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$87.0 $87.0

35.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$209 $209

$104 $104

99.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,367 $2,367

$1,940 $1,940

22.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,045 $2,045

$1,316 $1,316

55.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,278 $4,278

$3,664 $3,664

16.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,869 $3,869

$2,565 $2,565

50.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,913 $7,913

$7,354 $7,354

7.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,795 $5,795

$3,129 $3,129

85.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,523 $5,523

$5,286 $5,286

4.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.79

-0.29%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Oakland, CA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Oakland, CA

$2K 54.8%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8% 35.6% $729

Groceries & Markets

Oakland, CA

$603 16.2%

Austin, TX

$406 15.1% 32.7% $197

Eating Out

Oakland, CA

$378 10.1%

Austin, TX

$350 13% 7.3% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Oakland, CA

$323 8.7%

Austin, TX

$352 13.1% 9.1% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Oakland, CA

$200 5.4%

Austin, TX

$129 4.8% 35.6% $71

Getting Around

Oakland, CA

$114 3%

Austin, TX

$58 2.2% 49% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Oakland, CA

$71 1.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 22.3% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,367 in Oakland, CA and $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oakland, CA pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $118 in Oakland, CA vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $603 vs $406 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Oakland, CA

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

05:32 5:32 AM

07:32 7:32 AM

2 h ahead of Oakland, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

433,031

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Oakland, CA Austin, TX 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Oakland, CA
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Oakland, CA vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Oakland, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Oakland, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,367 in Oakland, CA versus $1,940 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,733 per month in Oakland, CA versus $2,698 in Austin, TX – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 109% less than in Oakland, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,698 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Oakland, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.